Youths question military presence in East Timor

By T. Sima Gunawan

DILI, East Timor (JP): East Timorese Catholic youths questioned yesterday the presence of the military and its "excessive" authority over the region.

"How come it's always the army who handles everything here? What kind of authority does it have in East Timor," a young man said.

"It should be the police who have greater authority (on maintaining security and order) here, not the army," another said.

The issue was brought up in an open dialog -- the first of this kind -- between some 1,000 Catholic youths from the province's 13 district parishes and Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares. Also present from the military were Maj. Gen. Abdul Rivai of the Udayana Military Command, whose authority covers the provinces of Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor, Col. M. Simbolon, chief of the East Timor Military Command, and the provincial police chief Silvanus Y. Wenas.

The meeting was held at the Don Bosco meeting hall here yesterday. Father Antonio Gonsalves of the Dili diocese moderated the dialog.

Abilio said that it's "not important who has the authority to do this or that here, what matters is whether the authority is being exercised properly."

"East Timor was built by the Armed Forces (ABRI). Why should I mind if ABRI interferes? I thank them," the governor says.

Both Wenas and Simbolon pointed out that the army and the police help one another in maintaining security and order in the province. There are only 3,200 police officers for the East Timorese population of 850,000.

"Police alone won't be able to handle rioting, should it occur. Please understand," Simbolon pleaded.

Rivai told the youths they gave him the impression that they did not like the presence of the military here. "But it doesn't upset me," he said. "This is a natural thing for a country which has only been independent for 50 years, let alone for East Timor."

East Timor was integrated into Indonesia in 1976. The United Nations however still recognizes Portugal as the administering power there. A number of separatist groups have reportedly made use of this recognition issue to draw international attention, and to reportedly incite local unrests.

"Please beware of these groups," Simbolon said. "They are trying to take advantages of the situation...they are slandering ABRI."

In another part of the dialog, Rivai called on the youths not to be provoked easily by rumors or resort to violence and vandalism. "Don't become an opposition," he said.

East Timor was recently rocked by a number of riots. One of the incidents was triggered by blasphemous remarks of a non- native.

Simbolon yesterday said he has ordered the establishment of a special team to probe into the more recent religious riots.

The youths yesterday complained that the region has yet to reap the benefits brought by national development. "What's the use of beautiful buildings and roads if we can't live in peace?" said one youth. He also said that too many East Timorese are now without jobs.

Abilio said the people is always the focus of provincial development. "The problem is how do we make use of facilities and the infrastructure," he said.